Imperial Beverage, a distributor of wines, craft beers, ciders and spirits has expanded its footprint to cover the entire state of Michigan. Since obtaining a State of Michigan Authorized Distribution Agent (ADA) Certification at the beginning of 2017, Imperial Beverage has been working on strategy, staff training, and distribution contracts allowing Imperial to launch statewide with four craft spirit brands on April 3, 2017, with an expanding portfolio to be announced throughout 2017.
The initial craft spirits brands include,
- Green Door Distilling
- Iron Fish Distillery
- Rendle’s Original Gin
- Bier Distillery
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“It is an exciting time at Imperial Beverage,” says Joe Cekola, President of Imperial Beverage. “We are pleased to be the first beverage distribution company to receive a new ADA Certification in Michigan in over ten years. Imperial’s focus in this market will be small batch, premium spirit brands that caters to growing customer demand.”
The first distillery to sign on with Imperial in January 2017 was Green Door Distilling, sharing Imperial’s home city of Kalamazoo. Other Michigan distilleries launching statewide with Imperial are Michigan’s first working farm solely dedicated to the practice of distilling small-batch craft spirits, Iron Fish Distillery, and the family owned and operated Bier Distillery from Comstock Park. In addition to these Michigan made spirits, Imperial will offer Rendle’s Original Gin.
Imperial Beverage was established in 1933 after the repeal of prohibition and purchased by Kalamazoo’s Cekola family in 1984, Imperial has grown from a one county beer distributor to a top 10 statewide beer, wine & spirits wholesaler.
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